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Heartworm Awareness Month

April 28, 2015 10 Comments

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Deposit Photos | @feedough
Deposit Photos | @feedough

Although almost over, April is National Heartworm Awareness month. Just recently I had someone say to me,

I don’t give my dog heartworm medication because it’s full of pesticides. I’ll just treat it if he gets infected.

Yes, I’m serious.

If you have seen a dog infected with heartworms, you know that the damage is real and it is horrifying to see a dog suffer. Heartworms are not something to take lightly. The foot-long worms live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels causing:

  • severe lung disease
  • heart failure
  • artery & organ damage
  • decreased health and quality of life (even after treatment)
  • death

How common is heartworm infection?

via American Heartworm Society
Source | American Heartworm Society

As you can see, the south has much higher rates of heartworm infection. Even if you live in a “white” area, protecting your dog is still a must. Stray dogs, coyotes, and foxes can be infected and transmit the disease. Currently, we live in an area with very low rates of heartworm, but I am not willing to take the risk.

How are heartworms transmitted?

The following image is a great guide to understanding heartworm infection.

Source | American Heartworm Association
Source | American Heartworm Society

Signs of Heartworm Disease

When first infected, the signs of heartworm disease are minimal or even nonexistent. However, as the disease progresses, signs become more pronounced. Signs include:

  • persistent cough
  • increased fatigue
  • decreased appetite
  • weight loss
  • swollen belly

Heartworm infection is a serious problem that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Please remember to give your dog monthly heartworm preventative. For more information, visit the American Heartworm Society.

Filed Under: Healthy, Happy Dog, What's New Tagged With: dog, great pyrenees

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Barbara Rivers says

    April 28, 2015 at 6:14 pm

    Wow, really? Good luck treating it…while it is treatable, it’s a LONG & EXPENSIVE process…our pups are on Heartguard. We are all about prevention in our pack!!

    Reply
  2. Clowie says

    April 29, 2015 at 4:30 am

    I agree with you, it’s better to prevvent nasty things like this.

    Reply
  3. Jenna,Mark “HuskyCrazed” Drady says

    April 29, 2015 at 7:56 am

    WOW! Someone said that to you???? Heart worm is SO serious and scary too! Thanks for sharing this.
    ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!

    Reply
  4. Jen Gabbard says

    April 29, 2015 at 10:01 am

    Wow I hadn’t heard the ‘full of pesticides’ line before. Usually it’s “oh we don’t hang out outside that much” or something alone those lines; trying to minimize the risks – which is just ridiculous (at least in Michigan) because every shelter/rescue I’ve worked with has a ton of animals come in with heartworm all the time – rain or shine, winter or summer. Such a terrible disease that can be prevented so easily, thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  5. Daisy The French Bulldog says

    April 29, 2015 at 10:26 am

    WOW how scary – I can’t believe that any one would put their pet in harm’s way and NOT take measures to prevent such a serious infection.

    Reply
  6. kimberley says

    April 29, 2015 at 10:40 am

    Interestign! I once seen a photo of a dog who had heartworm inside. Its our job as pet parents to take care of our furbabies! Just like vaccinating! Its important!

    Reply
  7. Leah says

    April 29, 2015 at 1:24 pm

    Foot long worms?! Yuck. Thanks for clearly spelling out the cause and symptoms, I’m going to pay attention to prevention a little more carefully now.

    Reply
  8. Christina Berry | The Lazy Pit Bull says

    April 29, 2015 at 9:29 pm

    When a fatal disease such as heartworm infection is so easy to prevent, pet owners are downright stupid if they’re not doing everything they can to protect their furry friends. Great information, thanks for sharing! I’m definitely sharing this post on my FB page!

    Reply
  9. Jan K says

    May 3, 2015 at 5:55 pm

    I try to limit the amount of pesticides/medications/drugs I put in my pets too. But I’ve known people who didn’t give their dogs preventive in our area and the dogs have contracted it. It is not an easy treatment. It’s one thing we don’t mess around with…our dogs get monthly pills.

    Reply
  10. Teresa Rutledge says

    October 23, 2015 at 6:14 pm

    My vet had a heart worm infested heart, partially dissected, on display on his counter. I live in North Texas, that was usually enough to persuade his clients that heart worm prevention was worth it.

    Reply

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